possessed a library of eighty-seven volumes (1394). Gifts
of books were made to Corpus Christi College soon after
its foundation in 1352, but a library is not referred to in
the old statutes. Thomas de Eltisle, the first Master,
gave several books, among them a very fine missal, "most
excellently annotated throughout all the offices, and bound
with a cover of white deer leather, and with red clasps."
At this time (1376) we find an inventory showing that
the contents of the library were chiefly theological and
law books.

[1] C. A. S. Comm., ii. 73; Willis, iii. 402.

[2] Surtees Soc,, iv. 385.


The intention of King Henry VI was to make the
library of King's College and that of Eton very good. In
his great plan for the former, which was never carried out,
Henry proposed to have in the west side of the court,
"atte the ende toward the chirch," "a librarie, conteynyng
in lengthe . cx . fete, and in brede . xxiiij . fete, and under
hit a large hous for redyug and disputacions, conteynyng
in lengthe . xl . fete, and . ij . chambres under the same
librarie, euery conteynyng . xxix. fete in lengthe and in
brede . xxiiij . fete."[1] But an apartment was set aside
for books, and, as a charge was incurred for strewing it
with rushes in expectation of a visit from the king, it was
evidently a repository worth seeing.[2] Early in 1445 the
king sent Richard Chester, sometime his envoy at the